Side by side
DRBL vs OpenStack Ironic
Both stand on bare metal provisioning software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose DRBL if you need free, open-source tools to deploy and manage GNU/Linux clients over a network from one server. Look elsewhere if your server runs a distribution or version outside those listed in the installation guide, or if you need a beginner-friendly setup.
Visit DRBL
Choose OpenStack Ironic to manage bare-metal machines through their lifecycle with API access, hardware pool ownership and image provisioning. Bifrost deployment requires familiarity with bare-metal networking and controller credentials, and its security guide recommends disabling IPMI when modern out-of-band management is available.
Visit OpenStack IronicThe facts
| DRBL | OpenStack Ironic | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | drbl.org | ironicbaremetal.org |
| On bare metal provisioning software | #9 of 28 | #13 of 28 |
DRBL: what it does well
- Manages GNU/Linux deployment from one server to many clients.
- Clients can boot diskless over PXE or etherboot.
- Includes Clonezilla for partitioning and disk cloning.
- Commands manage boot modes, files, user accounts, and clients.
- Free, open-source software with network and multicast deployment.
What to know first
- The installation guide says setup can be complicated for beginners.
- Server installation supports only the distributions and versions named in the guide.
- Microsoft Windows SAN booting is described as experimental.
OpenStack Ironic: what it does well
- Free and open source under the Apache 2 license
- REST API uses a vendor-agnostic interface
- Supports Redfish, IPMI and vendor-specific hardware types
- Hardware ownership and leasing across separate pools
- Described for deployments from tens to thousands of machines
What to know first
- Bifrost setup requires network interface knowledge and controller credentials
- Security guidance recommends disabling IPMI when modern out-of-band management is available
Alternatives to DRBL Alternatives to OpenStack Ironic The whole list